B.A. Journalism and Political Science, UNC-Chapel Hill
M.A. Political Management, George Washington University

Before coming to the School of Media and Journalism, Ryan Thornburg spent his career in the newsroom, focusing on online journalism. Most recently, he was the managing editor of USNews.com, the online arm of U.S. News & World Report. He also served as a managing editor for Congressional Quarterly’s website, cq.com, and the national/international editor for the Washington Post’s website, washingtonpost.com.

Thornburg’s work in online media contributed to several professional awards, including seven EPPY awards for his work with washingtonpost.com. The EPPY Awards competition honors Internet sites affiliated with the media industry. Thornburg and his staff also have been finalists for competitions by the Online News Association.

He also has worked professionally as a producer for washingtonpost.com, managing election data, writing articles and producing breaking news. He has served as a classroom guest speaker, journalism panelist and participant for numerous media organizations.

B.A. Photojournalism and New Media, Western Kentucky University
M.A. Internet Communication, University of Liverpool

Steven King is an assistant professor of Interactive and Multimedia Journalism at UNC’s School of Media and Journalism, where he leads courses in interactive story-telling, human centered design, and design and development for mobile apps as well as for virtual reality.

King is the former Director of Video at The Washington Post. He led a team of video journalists and video editors, creating multimedia stories and new business models to make the medium profitable for the paper. He also served as Editor of Innovations at washingtonpost.com, where he pioneered new forms of storytelling and generated millions of dollars in new revenue for the company.

In 2014, King received the Knight Prototype Grant for his startup, Filmsync, a synchronized second-screen app. He is currently developing 360 video technology for media and government use.